UEFA Nations League group stage results

We have known the identity of the UEFA Nations League final four since Monday night, when the Netherlands came back late from two down to already relegated Germany, claiming the necessary point to take them there.

Since Tuesday night, we also know all teams that will be promoted or relegated to another division within the Nations League. The following will be an overview of all of those with commentary at the end.

The final four in contention to win the new competition next summer are the Netherlands, Switzerland, England, as well as the hosts of the mini tournament Portugal.

The teams relegated from League A to League B are Germany, Iceland, Poland and Croatia.

Those promoted from League B to League A are the Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The sides relegated from League B to League C are Slovakia, Turkey, Northern Ireland as well as the Republic of Ireland.

The teams promoted from League C to League B are Scotland, Finland, Norway and Serbia.

Those relegated from League C to League D are Estonia, Slovenia, Cyprus and Lithuania.

Finally, the teams promoted from League D to League C are Georgia, Belarus, Kosovo and the F.Y.R. of Macedonia.

With this having been the first Nations League season, the competition clearly lacks the pedigree of a European Championship, much less that of a World Cup, and it will probably never attain it either.

As a result, some countries do not take it fully seriously. I do not intend to disrespect anybody when I say this, but those teams that qualified for the final four are by no means the best four national teams in Europe.

Furthermore, with four-time World Cup winners Germany and World Cup 2018 runners-up Croatia being relegated and due to be replaced by the likes of Ukraine and Bosnia & Herzegovina shows that lack of pedigree clearly.

The one good thing about this competition is perhaps that it gives smaller countries the opportunity for success , by playing others at their level.